An end cap may be fit a car body, a roof molding that is attached to the roof of a car body, or a beltline molding that is attached to the edge of a door window opening, the end cap providing the end of the molding with a design, and functioning as a protector for the end of the molding.
Such a molding is normally produced by forming a long product by extrusion, roll forming, or the like, and cutting the long product after optional pressing, bending, or the like.
Therefore, the end of the molding main body has an opening, and an end cap is normally inserted into the opening.
The end cap includes an end section that closes the open end face of the molding main body, and provides a design or functions as a protector, and an insertion section that protrudes from the end section, and is inserted into the opening of the molding main body.
A number of end caps have been proposed, such as an end cap that is configured so that the insertion section of the end cap is inserted into the opening of the end of the molding main body, and secured through engagement of a protrusion and a recess (see Patent Document 1), and an end cap that is configured so that the hooking piece formed on the insertion section is caused to engage the inner side of the molding main body (see Patent Document 2). However, these end caps have a problem in that the end cap may be easily removed from the molding main body, or a space or backlash may occur between the end of the end cap and the open end face of the molding main body.
The two-step hooking section disclosed in Patent Document 1 is effective for suppressing a backlash. However, since the hooking section is formed on a leaf spring, it is difficult to reliably prevent removal of the end cap due to the deformation force of the leaf spring.
In the field of a beltline molding or the like (see FIG. 10), the insertion section 110 of the end cap may be inserted into the opening of the end of the molding main body 120, a hole may be formed in the molding main body and the insertion section of the end cap using a drill or the like, and the securing pin 130 may be inserted by press fitting using an area under the lip 125. However, the above method has a problem in that it may be difficult to press-fit the securing pin 130, and the securing pin 130 may be removed due to vibrations that occur during travel.
The above method has another problem in that expensive production equipment may be required, or the production man-hours may increase, or the tact time for production may increase.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-2005-104168    Patent Document 2: JP-UM-A-5-82694